Yeah Mashima doesn't screw with his fanbase like Kishi does, he actually develops the pairings he plans, he doesn't try to decieve them by pointing them in one direction then another, he decides the pairing and sticks with it, If you don't like Erza/Jellal tough, it's his story and that's the pairing you are getting. I like that about Mashima.
Fairy Tail has some serious bs in its fights but I agree, you can't argue with how Mashima does his pairings. He's straight to the point.